I hope I don't run out of time
by SomethingMoreCreative
Summary: The "I literally took a bullet for you and now you owe me big time" AU. Percabeth. Written for pjowriters on tumblr.


**A/N: This is a short thing written for pjowriters on tumblr. Go follow us over there if you aren't already! The title is from Sorry by Justin Bieber.**

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They're standing in line at the bank, waiting to get a deposit from Annabeth's savings account so she can buy some Christmas presents this year. The line is ridiculously long, probably because it's Friday and everyone just got off work, but Annabeth doesn't actually mind that they are at the back because Percy is standing close enough that she can feel his chest brushing her back, and he keeps leaning forward to whisper lame jokes into her ear when he thinks of them, smiling when she laughs too loudly.

It's a normal day, and Annabeth can't wait to get out of here so they can go get dinner and go back to her apartment and watch movies for the rest of the night. Any time she can cuddle with Percy is great, especially when she can "accidentally" fall asleep on the couch with him so then she gets to wake up on top of his chest in the morning.

She may have some very intense feelings for her best friend. She doesn't exactly mind.

She met Percy in her freshman year of college, and they've been friends ever since. She met him through another friend, and when said friend started dating Percy's-then-best-friend, they started seeing each other more. After Jason and Piper started seriously dating, Percy and Annabeth drifted closer together, and she didn't realize it when Percy had become her best friend.

Annabeth may be sort-of-not-really in love with Percy, but she's sure as hell not saying anything because she doesn't think she can ever lose him.

"So I was thinking—" she starts, turning her head back to look at Percy. He's leaning his head down toward hers so he can hear her, and his eyebrows are furrowed because he's listening intently. Annabeth thinks it's fucking adorable, and she tries not to lose her train of thought.

Before she can finish her idea about getting take out and going back to her apartment now, there's a loud crash at the door of the bank, just a few feet away, and then a deep voice is yelling, "Get on the ground! Get on the fucking ground!"

Annabeth frowns, confused at what is happening because there are two guys in full black and face masks standing barely a yard away. They're holding something toward her head, and it takes Annabeth a full second to realize they both have guns.

She can feel Percy's hands on her hips now, jerking her down to the ground. He shoves her behind his back, and she wraps her arms around his waist, holding on to him tight.

 _This can't be real,_ is the only thing Annabeth can think while the two men move toward the counter, shoving through the other people that had been in line in front of them. There's a woman with a little boy, and she's hunching over him protectively, trying to get him to stop crying.

Annabeth can feel Percy's hands clutching at her back from where he has his arms twisted behind him to hold her. He hasn't moved since he pulled her down to the ground, and she taps her fingers against his chest nervously. He taps her arms right back, and Annabeth holds her breath as the two gunmen demand money from the bank cashier at the counter.

She watches in fear as they grab the money from the banker, turning and heading back toward the door. Just as they pass her and Percy, one of them says, "Get him."

At first, she thinks that they're talking about Percy, and she tightens her arms around him because there's no way in hell anyone is taking him away from her _ever._

Then, she realizes that the gunman by the door is pointing to the little boy that is crying in his mother's arms.

There are tears in her eyes because the little boy is screaming for his mom and she's kicking and fighting the second gunman to yank her son back, but the man kicks her in the ribs and jerks the boy out of her arms.

Her heart drops, and Annabeth feels Percy's fingers go slack against her skin. She can tell he's about to get up and stop them, but her eyes flicker to the guns in their hands.

She jumps to her feet, wrenching herself out of Percy's grasp, and her voice is shaking when she says, "Don't—don't take him. Take me instead."

Percy grabs her by the legs and jerks her back to him. He's saying something, but she can't understand him because the gunman nods silently, setting the boy down on the ground and grabbing her arm instead.

Percy is on his feet in two seconds, grabbing her hand and growling, "Don't _fucking touch her."_

There's a gun pressed to her forehead now, and she hears Percy stop talking.

"It's okay," she says to him, hoping he can understand her through her tears. "I love you."

His green eyes are wide, and there are tears there as he stares at her in horror. The gunman has an arm around her neck, cutting off most of her air, and the gun is pressing into her temple. Percy's lips are moving, like he's saying something, and Annabeth catches the silent _I love you._

Percy's hand slips out of hers until he's clutching her fingertips, and she stares at him, crying and begging him to _let go._

The other gunman at the door says, "Just shoot him!"

"No!" Annabeth sobs, kicking toward Percy's knee where she knows is still weak from an injury a few weeks ago to try and get him away from her. "Let go of me, Percy. Just _let go."_

They freeze when they hear the police sirens outside.

Percy takes the opportunity to jerk on her hand and pull her to him, and somehow, she falls out of the gunman's hold, stumbling toward Percy and landing against his chest. His face is hard, eyes wide, and leftover tears trace down his cheeks. His jaw is clenched, and when she sees his eyes widen further, she jerks her head back around to see the gunman closest to the door raising his gun at them.

She feels Percy pushing her to the side, but before she falls, she twists, throwing her arms out in front of him and using her body to shield his. She hears the gunshot, and her ears ring, which distracts her from the pain in her shoulder for two seconds.

He would have shot Percy in the heart. If she had not moved in front of him, he would be dead.

Annabeth hears people screaming now, but she feels her body tipping to the side. Percy catches her, pressing his hand against her shoulder. He's screaming something, but Annabeth can't understand him. His eyes are wild, and his mouth is moving, like he's begging her to stay.

She tells him that she loves him again. It feels nice to say.

One of his tears drips onto her face, and she wilts in his arms, falling to the floor. He's still holding his hand to her shoulder, but there's blood everywhere and he keeps ducking his face to press against hers.

She stares up at him, and then, there's a medic in the way, shoving Percy back.

Annabeth isn't sure what happens next. She still can't hear anything, and everything is spinning. The only thing that she thinks she can feel is Percy's hand in hers.

Ω

She wakes up in a white hospital room.

There's a nurse in the room, hanging an IV bag of clear liquid. Annabeth's voice is hoarse when she asks her what happened, but the nurse explained about her successful surgery and smiled softly, telling her that she was a hero.

She wants to tell her that she's not; all she wanted to do was save Percy.

"Um," she whispers carefully. "Is there anybody waiting…?"

"Your boyfriend is outside," she said with a nod. "I can get him now."

Annabeth doesn't have the energy to correct her, so she nods.

She can hear the nurse say that she's awake before she hears Percy throw the door open and run inside.

He freezes at the end of her bed, staring at her. Annabeth lifts her left hand, opposite of her bad shoulder, and holds it out to him.

Percy's bottom lip is trembling, and he ducks forward, catching her hand in both of his and pressing it to his face. She can see tears rolling down his face, and his shoulders are shaking and he's murmuring her name over and over and _over—_

She swallows, trying to make her voice sound better. "Percy, don't cry. I'm okay."

"There's a _hole_ in your chest, Annabeth," Percy mutters, clutching her hand tighter in his. "You're not okay. Why did you—why would you—"

She lets him cry for a few seconds while she tries to catch her breath. Her chest is sore, but it could be her heart hurting from hearing Percy right now.

"I couldn't let you—get hurt," she says.

He looks up at her with his beautiful sea green eyes, and Annabeth wants to cry because he's _okay._ He's _fine._ His voice is rough too when he asks, "Did you—did you mean it when you said you loved me?"

"I was afraid I would die before I got to tell you," she says, blinking at him. "So yeah, I meant it. I love you. More than a best friend. I love you so much, Percy, and I—"

He cuts her off when he leans forward and presses his lips to hers.

The kiss is sloppy and wet because Percy's been crying, and Annabeth's not sure she can feel her lips yet, but Percy warms her right down to her toes. He pulls back after a few seconds, pressing his forehead against hers and saying, "I love you too, Annabeth. I love you too."

She wants to toss her arms around him and pull him close until all she can feel is _him,_ but she can barely move her one good arm. Instead, she reaches up with her good hand, brushing the rest of his tears away and tilting his chin down until she catches his lips with hers.

Kissing Percy is just—she's definitely going to have to do more of it when she gets better.

He pulls back again, letting his eyes roam over her body, like he's checking to make sure that she's actually there.

"Fuck, Annabeth," he breathes. "I thought you were going to _die."_

"I know," she says. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," he whispers into her neck, carefully leaving a kiss there. "We're okay."

"We're okay," she repeats with a small nod, tangling her fingers with his and sighing when he crawls into her hospital bed and lays beside her, pushing his face against her good arm.

"I love you," he says again. "I was going to tell you in a really romantic way, but…"

She grips his hand and breathes out a small laugh, "I think I won. Mine was pretty fucking romantic, you have to admit."

"Yeah, I think I would have preferred just a casual declaration of your love instead of that one," he mutters.

Annabeth laughs again, "You should take what you get, Seaweed Brain."

He looks up at her with wide eyes. This time, they are full of love and adoration, and Annabeth would do everything exactly the same way just to see this look on his face. He says, "Yeah, you're right. I'll keep you, if that's okay."

She hums, closing her eyes because Percy's arms are around her, and she feels safe and loved. Her voice is soft when she says, "Good with me."

She's exhausted, and she falls asleep listening to Percy laugh.

 **A/N: Thanks for reading! Leave a review!**

 **-SomethingMoreCreative**


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